


As Long as They Both Shall Live

by its_not_my_fault



Category: Parasol Protectorate - Gail Carriger, The Custard Protocol Series - Gail Carriger, romancing the werewolf
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 08:31:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14807891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_not_my_fault/pseuds/its_not_my_fault
Summary: Over 100 years together, and now they can get married, but Lyall isn't sure if Biffy wants to do that.





	As Long as They Both Shall Live

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings/Spoilers: Um spoilers for Parasol Protectorate, Incompetence, and Romancing the Werewolf
> 
> Disclaimer: *I make no money from this and I mean no disrespect or harm. I just love these characters so muuuuuccchhhh. (Gross Sobbing.)*

Lyall was in a sports bar he would not typically have been in when the news broke--it interrupted a football game he didn’t care anything about. To think, he and Biffy had been together for one hundred and eighteen years, one hundred and eighteen years, two months, and 26 days to be precise and the United Kingdom had just made same-sex marriage legal. Nearly one hundred and twenty years and, finally, he and Biffy could be legally bound and recognized, not only as pack mates or as Alpha and Beta, or even as partners, but as husbands. 

Lyall had assurances from all BUR’s best intelligencers that the law would be ratified. The whole pack house knew it so he was sure his Alpha couldn’t be unaware. 

Lyall was thrilled, of course, but he wasn’t elated, at least not yet. It was terrific news, incredible news, maybe even the best news. But Biffy hadn’t said a word about it outside of the occasional, “about bloody time and all.” The younger wolf had said nothing about them getting married, and had not intimated that he had any desire to tie the knot. 

It was a stupid thing to upset over. The tether between them had settled into place so smoothly and the strength of it locking what remained of each of their souls together would’ve knocked Lyall off his feet if he hadn’t already been lying securely under his Alpha, his strong, beautiful Alpha when it happened all those years ago. Biffy wrapped himself around Lyall, physically tethered them together, in the best possible way, and secured Lyall body, heart, mind, and what was left of his soul. 

After the initial moment of tethering as Alpha and Beta, the link between them grew stronger over the century, not harshly though, never that. Much like his Alpha, the tether was sweet in its strength. Lyall thought it might compare to how the moon felt about the earth. There was a gravitational hold between them that allowed them to glide around the universe and still never lose one another. It wasn’t a chain, it was more like a flexible bridge, and Lyall adored it. 

Initially, it was a strange feeling, and it took Lyall awhile to get accustomed to the sensation, especially knowing it revealed so much of him to his Alpha. He’d never had that before. He could feel so much of Biffy, and he knew Biffy could feel him as well. All his life Lyall practiced going unnoticed and being perfectly unmemorable, but Biffy had always noticed him, always remembered him, and then learned to read him no matter how impassive anyone else thought Lyall to be. The tether didn’t reveal anything Biffy couldn’t already discern if they were in the same room, but it had grown so strong as to allow Biffy to read Lyall’s heart any time, no matter what distance was between them. 

Lyall was sure his emotions were reverberating through the connection to his Alpha, though Biffy wouldn’t be able to tell what had Lyall feeling this lost. Lyall hadn’t felt lost in over a hundred and eighteen years. Not since that night when everything clicked into place, the night he learned that Biffy’s most significant loss had been losing Lyall for two decades not knowing if Lyall felt the same for him. The words, “It was more than comfort for me,” and a very gentle touch to his check evaporated that lost, empty feeling that had haunted him for four hundred years and it had never returned. 

Not until now. The feeling was back, though not nearly as strong as before Lyall resettled with the London Pack, but now it was such a foreign feeling that it struck him harder. Biffy knew, Lyall felt the tug of his tether, it was both a pull on their tether and a caress from Biffy. God bones, how Lyall loved his Alpha. The feel of it soothed him. Biffy’s physical touch would be better, more grounding, but this would do for now. Long enough to get through a night of protecting one wayward teenaged son of a Duke. 

*****

Biffy resided over the original Chapeau de Poupe with impatience. Well, he was in the office in the back with his leg bouncing and a pen in his hand that he was constantly clicking. He was proud of his pack. What was once a small if popular, hat shop of Victorian England grew into quite a bit more than that. The original shop was still standing, but the bombing of World War Two exposed their dungeon and forced them to move their full moon hideout elsewhere. Biffy shuddered. World War Two had been a terrible time, and the supernatural community was still struggling to recover from massive losses. It could’ve been worse. If America had not finally decided to embrace the supernatural set, goodness only knows how things would’ve gone, but they did, and the Allies beat back Hitler. The London Pack suffered the loss of two clavigers and one new packmate over the course of the war, but they considered themselves among the luckiest packs. Some packs were wiped out either by the Nazi’s regime or from fighting in battles against armies trained and armed to destroy vampires and werewolves alike. Biffy had been a young Alpha and a basically a pup the age standards of the others, but so much stronger than anyone imagined. Except maybe Lyall. Lyall never seemed surprised by Biffy’s strength. 

Biffy’s heart missed a few beats, and his guts felt like they were twisting around each other. Lyall was usually the reason for Biffy’s calm, but right now Lyall was the reason for his tension, impatience, and generally cagy mood. It wasn’t Lyall’s fault. Whatever upset Lyall earlier had been enough to tug on their tether. Biffy could always tell when the pull was on purpose, as a gentle reminder of their shared bond, but the tug earlier had not been that. It had been reflexive from pain and hurt. Not physically, but emotionally and Biffy couldn’t bear not having it fixed at once. Lyall took care of their whole pack, and it was Biffy’s utmost responsibility and pleasure to make sure Lyall was well tended. 

Still, his unrest wasn’t the fault of the slow moving clock hands, or James who was doing an excellent job of relating the state of the new boutique being built in Seattle via Aether-Vid, the latest face to face long-distance technology.

James stopped in the middle of describing whatever it was he was explaining to ask, “Are you well, Alpha?” 

“I’m sorry James, is this something you can handle?”

“Yes, of course. It’s only that you asked to be kept in the loop.” 

“Thank you, James. I trust your judgment. Email me the decisions you make and the results. If you need--” but Biffy didn’t get to finish. 

“I won’t need anything. We all saw the news. Go find him.” 

Biffy decided he wouldn’t pretend he didn’t know what and to whom James was referring. “What if he says no?” Biffy hadn’t felt this anxious in years. He hadn’t realized just how insecure he felt until the words had slipped from his mouth. It was only Lyall who was allowed to see his vulnerability, but James smiled in a way that said he knew his Alpha’s only weakness was Lyall. 

“He won’t.”

“He’d be crazy to hoist centuries more of me on himself.” Biffy tried for a self-deprecating joke. They were all the rage in this modern era, and he did like to be fashionable in all ways, but even he could hear that his laughter didn’t quite ring true. 

James only scoffed. “That man wants a few millennia more with you if you can manage it. All due respect, Alpha, but stop being a dunderhead and go!” 

“That was respectful?” Biffy wasn’t truly upset, only prodding because he could. James rolled his eyes and ended the Aether-Vid before Biffy could ask him anything else. 

Well, Biffy thought, I do have things to do. 

 

*****

 

Lyall felt the tentative brush of the tether against his heart, and he smiled. It would be okay if Biffy didn’t want to get married; honestly, it would. The Beta knew the man loved him all the way through and would do so for the rest of their immeasurably long lives. Biffy’s affection never wavered, not once in almost one hundred and forty years if you counted the two decades they spent apart. Biffy was never with anyone else after their first tentative touches in the spring of April 1876. Lyall hadn’t been with anyone either, but when he left for India to pay his debt to the Kingair pack, he never would’ve imagined Biffy would feel the same. He knew now, and that was enough. 

And maybe if I tell my heart that enough times, Lyall thought, I’ll believe it. 

He took a deep breath and schooled his features. Biffy might be able to feel some of his inner turmoil no matter how much time he spent breathing on their front step, but the rest of the pack didn’t need to see it, especially not the new pups. At least the new-minted werewolves were the easiest to fool. 

The tether tugged at Lyall again, with a note of impatience that made him chuckle and eased more turmoil than he would’ve thought possible. His Alpha wanted to see him, soon, but for no other reason than he missed Lyall and wanted to touch him.

Lyall reached for the door only to find it opening in his face as his Alpha came tumbling out followed by two flying overnight bags. The Alpha caught easily them, one in each hand. Biffy sighed. 

“This is what I get for being a kind, benevolent Alpha. No respect.” But Biffy didn’t sound angry. In fact, he sounded affectionate and pleased. Juggling until he had both bags over one shoulder and Lyall’s hand in his other, Biffy only took seconds to have them both into a waiting car. When had that car arrived? Before Lyall could find his voice, they were off to God knew where. 

Suddenly nervous again, Lyall looked at Biffy’s handsome profile. The car had appeared to have been pre-arranged since the cheerful looking woman with brown eyes befitting a Golden Retriever didn’t ask for directions and merely gave them a smile and a nod from the front seat as she navigated them away from their home of one hundred and eighteen years and off into the city of London. 

“Alpha?” 

Biffy finished buckling his seatbelt (it was unlikely a wreck would hurt Biffy in any permanent way, but if he went through the windshield and hit a human, they might die like the incident of 1974, and so all supernaturals were still required to wear the damnable seatbelt) then faced Lyall. One eyebrow rose slowly. 

Lyall huffed, but the gesture loosened the tension in his lungs, and he could take a deep breath now. The car filled with the scent of pine and earth and citrus. Lyall controlled his wolf’s desire to rub the scent all over him. That would have to wait until later after they went wherever they were headed. Hope surged through him like electricity from a sparking transformer. 

Biffy’s fingers laced through Lyall’s, and Biffy lifted their joined hands to his mouth to graze a kiss on Lyall’s knuckles. Muscles in Lyall’s shoulders unknotted and a smile lifted one corner of his mouth. 

“Have I been kidnapped, my lord?” Lyall didn’t often call Biffy “lord” for all the man was still the Earl of Falmouth, but it seemed appropriate with the jest. Lyall thought the joke would make Biffy smile at least, but instead, the Alpha’s body jerked as if he might pull away and his features grew pinched. 

What have I said to affect him so? Not the ‘my lord’ comment surely. 

Lyall hated to ask this in front of the driver, but he couldn’t bear for Biffy to hurt. He hated the pain echoing between them. He pitched his voice as low as he could, confident Biffy’s supernatural hearing would pick it up and that the driver’s human hearing wouldn’t. “I’d willingly and unquestioningly follow you into combat against Demons in Hell even if it meant burning for eternity so long as I could stay with you.”

Lyall watched Biffy’s face relax, but he could see there was still some worry in his brow and he could feel the man still ached a little. 

“Unquestionably?” Biffy’s tone was sardonic but playful. That’s much better. 

“Well, maybe with just a few questions,” Lyall conceded. “I am happy here with you. I missed you today.” 

“Here we are!” Lyall had nearly forgotten the human driving them, and it startled him to hear her voice. For all she hadn’t spoken on the ride, the happy puppy impression remained, and Lyall idly wondered about her soul. There had been a lot of research done on the soul and science was finding that it wasn’t just the artists who tended to have extra soul, but the extraordinary compassionate and the fiery revolutionaries who also tended to have the extra soul. Something about her made him think she might be one of the few women who could survive the transformation if she were interested. “You gents enjoy your night,” she added amiably. 

It was only then Lyall noticed where they were. 

“Ralph’s building?” He asked in surprise. Ralph had been with them since 1922 and had successfully metamorphosed in 1929. The London Marriott Hotel County Hall had taken a few more years to finish, but thankfully he’d had everything already well in place so that the building could be completed without needing further creativity. The building had undergone some issues and changes, but it was a grand hotel now and the lights… a rainbow lights lit the front in honor of the day’s decision and Lyall’s chest thrummed with joy. Tears threatened to leak from his eyes, so he pushed through all the overwhelming smells of humanity and the Thames to focus on Biffy’s scent again to distract him. 

Biffy led him up the steps and through the entrance. 

“Ralph did design a masterpiece,” Lyall said, merely to say something. 

Biffy flashed a smile over one broad shoulder, and Lyall immediately returned it. He was starting to feel giddy. Giddy, of all things. As if I am not already five hundred years old. Ridiculous. But no amount of scolding could squash the champagne feeling in his chest or dampen his mood. 

 

*****

 

Biffy felt Lyall’s happiness like it was his own, and maybe it was. He was still nervous, hell, he was still scared, that Lyall would say ‘no,’ but he could trick himself into feeling like he was excited instead. He was that too, after all. 

They had dinner first. The hotel had a fantastic restaurant that catered well to the supernatural set. Beautifully set tables, old-fashioned settings, and manners that made them both smile with nostalgia for the Victorian Era they’d both been so deeply steeped in. 

Neither of them had gotten used to showing affection in public, but since it was no longer a crime and there was very little in the world that could hurt werewolves, Biffy had started to try. It embarrassed his Beta in some ways, but Biffy could always feel the joy it brought Lyall too that he got to claim Biffy and be claimed by Biffy for all the world to see. 

Tonight, though, Biffy didn’t think a hive of vampires could drag him away from holding Lyall’s hand. He couldn’t stop touching Lyall. If he wasn’t holding the man’s hand, he was tracing the line of his jaw or tucking hair that wasn’t really out of place behind the man’s ears. Biffy couldn’t stand to break contact. Lyall seemed to be bemused, pleased, and embarrassed all at once. And when their food came, he insisted Biffy settle down and eat his meal. Biffy did. Mostly. He could stand to sit across the table, so long as Lyall kept their feet touching under the table at least. 

Lyall did send him an exasperated look across the table, but Biffy knew his Beta was happier than anything about the open claiming. They’d never gotten to be this way. It was a massive part of their wolves’ instincts to be protective and territorial, especially for their partner, but for years being gay meant that they weren’t allowed to show society the possessiveness they felt for one another. They’d gotten away with a little since they were Alpha and Beta and they’d been separated for such a long time. People dismissed it as a fear instinct that Biffy couldn’t stand to be parted from Lyall for long, but they’d never gotten to shut down a marriage-minded mama when they came sniffing about for husbands for their daughters. Biffy became very talented at pushing them at his other packmates which had occasionally worked out for all the involved parties. 

Once done, Biffy led Lyall by the hand back through the hotel. 

“Wait,” Lyall stopped him. Confused, Biffy stopped and turned to face him. The hotel was opulent, but it didn’t have anything on the beauty of Lyall’s eyes at that moment. If only he could’ve found jewels to match them. 

“Biffy, where are we going?” 

Biffy couldn’t resist wrapping Lyall up against him then, and his fingers found their way into the sandy hair of his friend and lover to pull strands loose of their tie so he could play with them. “This place has rooms designed for us supernaturals here. We’re going on vacation, not very far in case of trouble, but we’re going to be away from them for a while.”

“Both of us?” 

“Channing is going to take care of everything. We’re only to be interrupted if the world is falling apart.” 

“Are we sure we can trust him to babysit the pups properly?” 

Biffy laughed at that. “Yes, love. We can. Now,” he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Come with me? Please?” Biffy leaned back so he could see all of Lyall’s face when he responded. 

Lyall didn’t respond at first. He closed his eyes and sighed the same way he had when he’d savored that dark chocolate mousse confection after dinner. Lyall had a very similar expression when the man was especially enjoying their time alone together. Biffy had to think about poorly fitting, distressed denim to cool the heat building up in him from thinking about those sensual, more private endeavors. He couldn’t resist placing a small, token kiss at the corner of Lyall’s mouth where it tilted up in satisfaction and happiness. 

After what felt like months, but must really have only been a few seconds Lyall finally answered. “I did say I’d follow you anywhere, Alpha.” It was a soft jest, and Biffy’s heart stuttered with how Lyall fairly glowed with pleasure. Biffy had done that, Biffy had put that happiness in Lyall’s heart, and there wasn’t anything that could have made him prouder. 

My Beta. Mine. All those years ago when he was a drone in the house of one of the most influential vampires in the world, could he have imagined that this would be his life. There was a time when he’d been so disappointed, but now he fervently blessed whatever deities had changed his fate from the course he’d set for himself. Nothing he could’ve planned could’ve lived up to this, even if Lyall didn’t want to marry him. Even if this one century was all they had, Biffy wouldn’t trade it for a millennia as a vampire. 

Biffy pressed one small kiss to his Beta’s forehead and smiled against the man’s skin. They didn’t say anything further as they wound their way through the milling people, the jungle of luggage, and antique furniture up to the room Biffy had gotten for them. 

*****

The moment Lyall stumbled in the room after Biffy, he didn’t even have a chance to see the room before Biffy had the door closed and Lyall pressed against it, his taller and slightly broader frame blocked the view of the dimly lit room. Lyall wasn’t complaining. He knew the place would be beautiful, stately and graceful but he, honestly, could not care less. Not with Biffy’s attention so focused on him, hands grasping his waist, teeth nipping along the side of his neck. He’d longed for Biffy all night.

Lyall twitched when Biffy paused his nibbles to sigh into Lyall’s neck; the exhale after the deep breath both tickled and aroused him. He half felt, and half sensed Biffy’s smile against the curve of his neck where it met his shoulder. Lyall kept his eyes closed and his head resting on the door; he just wanted to savor everything about this moment. 

“God, you smell good,” Biffy sighed, and Lyall shuddered again as his skin tingled from the puff of air. Biffy added, “I love the way you smell. Like books and leather and our home.” 

“I love you,” Lyall whispered into Biffy’s hair, eyes still closed. 

Lyall felt Biffy shift before the man asked, “Will you always love me?”

Lyall’s eyes popped open, and he searched Biffy’s face. “Forever, Biffy.” Lyall stroked Biffy’s cheek with his thumb. “Do you doubt me?” 

Biffy leaned into Lyall’s hand, so cat-like Lyall thought he might purr. Lyall should’ve been a werelion, not a werewolf, but fate made other decisions, and Lyall would very much like to send it a bottle of aged whiskey and fruit basket in thank you. 

They stood there together, sharing air and the warmth of each other for a few minutes, for once unrushed by pack life. The sun was rising, Lyall could sense his wolf falling asleep with its rise, but both he and Biffy were strong enough to stay up the whole day if they needed, or wanted to. 

Biffy slid away from Lyall, he didn’t go more than a few steps, but Lyall still disliked the distance. But then Biffy did something an Alpha never did; he got down on one knee and inclined his head in such a way that it bared his neck, just a little. Lyall dropped his knees. His Alpha, his powerful, proud Alpha on his knee for the likes of Lyall. 

And then Lyall’s Alpha pulled out a jewelry box, a small one, and when he opened it there was a ring. The humans had found a way to make gold into so many colors, and here Biffy had found ones that were cream, and royal blue wrapped together, just like the two of them. Lyall crawled forward to hold Biffy’s hands and the rings in them. 

“Marry me, Lyall? Be my husband?” 

Lyall surged to reach for Biffy’s face, kissed him hard. When he had the strength to pull away, he answered, “Yes please, Biffy. I’d like that very much. For as long as we both shall live.” 

They both felt the tether between them grow a little stronger.


End file.
